One-story Buildings Still Stack Up Nicely In Office Market

October 06, 1985

With high-rise and mid-rise office buildings dominating the landscape, how is the single-story office building surviving? Very well, thank you, according to architect Sheldon Dobrin of Friedman Dobrin & Associates, Northbrook.

``Even with the trend to large office structures, the one-story office building continues to hold its own because of inherent advantages,`` said Dobrin, whose firm has designed more than 25 single-story office buildings in suburban Chicago markets over the past five years.

``In single-story structures, tenants have direct access to their space without having to go through a central lobby or corridor. They have control of the heating and cooling in their own space, and the ability to set their own hours, even late into the evening, without having to worry about the whims of a landlord. Parking is dispersed around the building, so it`s likely the tenant will find a space in front of his own door.

One popular use for the one-story structure is as a sales office. Sales people can make an appointment, then walk right out the door to their cars.

Showrooms are another popular and successful use of this type of structure. Small companies use them to exhibit equipment or appliances.

The architect`s newest project is the Enterprise Office Campus, which is nearing completion at the interchange of Ill. Hwy. 53 and Dundee Road in northwest suburban Arlington Heights.

Tenants have a choice ranging from 630 square feet to about 30,000 square feet in one building. With a landscaped 6.3-acre site and 80,640 square feet of space in four buildings, Enterprise Office Campus is able to offer some amenities usually associated only with much larger buildings, such as a jogging trail and exercise center, a conference center with audio-visual facilities, and a vending cafeteria.

Each self-contained office suite in the complex is built to individual tenant specifications with private entrances. Each unit has its own gas-fired heating and air conditioning system, hot water system and electric meter. Enterprise Associates is the developer.